Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Records Checks for Cohousing Group Members

[Muriel Kranowski (murielk]

We actually have a section in our bylaws that says homeowners are required
to check the state and FBI sex crimes databases before selling to or
house-sharing with somone, and if the person appears there, the homeowner
is supposed to notify the community and there will be a plenary meeting
that both the homeowner and the convicted sex offender must attend, after
which the community will decide whether to permit the person to live here.
This was to give the offender a chance to explain why he or she was not
actually a danger to the community.

This provision was adopted in 2013 -- I can't remember what triggered it,
but I recall that some parents were very concerned and pushed it forward.
At that time we had way too many people living here for only a year
(renting a room in someone's house) and it may be that one of them seemed
kind of skeevy. We finally were able to clamp down on the short-term
renters and I doubt that anyone has this concern now, but it's in our
Bylaws.

I don't know if homeowners are still complying with this provision or what
the community could do to enforce it.